It is common to package and distribute various product pieces in a wide variety of sheet formed packages. In the confectionery industry, for example, candy pieces are often contained in a sheet formed bag or package or may be arranged in a longitudinal stacked array which is covered or wrapped in an outer wrapping forming an elongate stick-like package. The sheet used to form the package is typically formed of film-like material. The sheet container is often openable by a tear strip.
For example, in a stick-like package, a fin seal is used to close the sheet. It has been known to place spaced apart transverse notches in the fin seal which form a tab therebetween for manual grasping and pulling in a manner where a tear is initiated transversely about the longitudinal package. This forms the tear strip about the package which opens the package permitting dispensing of the candy products contained therein.
While an arrangement such as this serves adequately for its intended purposes, it has been found that with certain materials it is difficult to initiate the tear using the tab between the notches in an acceptable manner. The tensile strength of the sheet may prevent the tear from being properly initiated or after the tear is initiated, it may be difficult to provide a clean tear about the package. Moreover, in certain instances, pulling on the tab may cause the package to tear in the undesirable opposite direction.